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(No Model.) I 2 SheetsSheet 1. E. E. PRATT & O; S. PARTRIDGE. IMAGHINHFOR TRIMMING STEREOTYPE PLATES. No. 316,398.

Patented Apr. 21, 1885.

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E. E. PRATT & 0. s. PARTRIDGE. MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STEREOTYPE PLATES.

No. 316,398. Patented 'Apr. 21, 1885.

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UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN E. PRATT AND CHARLES S. PARTRIDGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORSTO THE A. N. KELLOGG NEWSPAPER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING STEREOTYPE-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 316,398, dated April21, 1885.

Application filed May 17, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWIN E. PRATT and CHARLES S. PARTRIDGE, citizensof the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook andState 'of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inMachines for Trimming Stereotype-Plates, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines for trimming the edges ofstereotype-plates; and it consists, first, in the combination, with arotary cutter, of a reciprocating carriage or platen provided with amovable gage for adjusting the plate laterally, a stationary guide forpositioning the plate at the rear, and a presser-foot for holding theplate, essentially as hereinafter set forth.

The invention consists, secondly, in the combination, with a rotarycutter, of a reciprocating carriage having a readily-adjustab1e lateralgage, the presser-foot, and devices for lifting and releasing thepresser-foot, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

This invention further consists in the novel construction andcombinations of parts, hereinafter fully set forth.

The accompanying drawings show at Figure 1 a plan view of our improvedtrimmingmachine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is anenlarged section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are viewscorresponding to Fig. 3, showing modifications of the machine.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, having mountedtherein guideways A, whereon the carriage or platen B may bereciprocated.

G is the rotating cutter, and O C are respectively the pulley and beltby which it is operated.

The carriage moves past the face of the cutter, and in Fig. 3 Drepresents a stereotypeplate in position thereon to be trimmed. At therear of the carriage is a raised ledge, B, the face whereof serves as aguide for the rear end of the plate. I

B is a movable gage, the face whereof is parallel to the line of motionof the carriage. It is long enough to gage the entire length of theplates to be operated upon, and slides laterally upon the carriage,being guided in such movements by fitting its widened rear end over andto the ledge B. All parts of this gage move alike, and by means of itthe operator is enabled not only to make the sides of the plate exactlyparallel, but also to out much or little therefrom, as required. Toobtain ready adj ustability for this gage, we employ the adjusting-screw B which is mounted in ahead, B, secured to the ledge B bythe set-screw b, and engages with the bracket b upon the gage.

By this construction the operator is enabled to keep one hand upon theoperating-wheel of the adjusting-screw, and thereby to move the gage toor from the cutter, according to the nature of the work to be done,without loss of time and between the reciprocations of the carriage.

The front end of the plate, unless. held to the carriage, is liable tospring up when undergoing the action of the cutter, and to obviate thenecessity of holding it by hand we provide upon the carriage apresser-foot, E,

adapted to be automatically raised and lowered each time the carriage isreoiprocated in operation. This presser-foot is secured upon the end ofa rod, e, passing through a sleeve, 6, upon the end of an adjustablehorizontal rod, E, supported above the carriage by the bracket E", andsecured therein .by a set-screw, e.

Encircling the presser-foot rod, between the sleeve and the foot, is acoil-spring, e which tends to force the foot down upon the plate when itis not lifted therefrom by the pivoted trigger-cam E acting upon thecollar 6 upon the upper end of the rod 6.

When a plate has been positioned upon the carriage and the latter ismoved forward, this trigger-cam E (which at this time is in the positionindicated by broken lines in Fig. 3) encounters the stationary arm F,secured to the frame of the machine, and is reversed thereby to theposition shown in full lines in said figure, said arm entering the moutha of the cam. This allows the presser-foot to fall in obedience to thespring, as clearly indicated. The plate is thus held by the foot untilupon the return movement the cam again encounters the arm F, and isreturned thereby to its first,mentioned position, which, of course,lifts the foot and frees the plate.

The horizontal arm E is of course so positioned in its holder as tocause the cam to be actuated and allow the presser-foot to drop upon theplate just before the plate encounters the cutter, and to raise the footjust before the carriage has completed its return movement, bothoperations being wholly automatic. l 7

We have shown in Figs. 4 and 5 modifications of the manner of actuatingthe presserfoot. -In Fig. 4 the presser-foot; is secured in aspring-arm, G, fastened to the carriage and provided with an inclinedsurface, 9, which will ride upon the arm F and thereby elevate the foot.When the arm G is not in contact with the arm F, the presser-foot willbe acting upon the plate. In this form of the invention we secure thearm F by bolts in the slot f, which permits it to be adjusted so that itwill act at an earlier or later stage,as occasion requires, in thereciprocation of the carriage. In the other modification a similarpresserfoot to that first described is employed, and it is also securedto a horizontal arm borne by the carriage in the same manner as in thefirstdescribed form of the invention. The foot is raised, however, byproviding it with an antifriction roller, h, which will ride upon theupper extended surface, h, formed upon an adjustable bracket, H, securedto the frame of the machine. This bracket is adjustable in the samemanner as arm G in Fig. 4; but we do not regard this adj ustability asessential in either of'thesemodified forms of the invention. Weclaim- 1. The machine for trimming the edges of stereotype-plates,consisting of a frame, a rotary cutter, and a reciprocating carriage orplaten, said carriage'being provided with a laterally-adjustable gage, arear stationary guide, and a presser-foot, substantially as specified.

2'. The cutter, the reciprocating carriage, the readily-adjustable gage,and the presserfoot and its lifting and releasing devices, all combinedand operating substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the-reciprocating carriage of astereotype-trimming machine, of

a presser-foot for holding the plate down upon the carriage, suchpresser-foot being supported upon and moving with the carriage,substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the reciprocating carriage of astereotype-trimming machine, of a presser-foot for holding thestereotype thereto, said foot being provided with a spring fordepressing it, and a device, substantially such as shown, for liftingsaid foot, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the carriage of a stereotype-trimming machine,of a spring-depressed presser mounted on the carriage, a trigger cam forraising and releasing the presser, and a stationary trip-arm,substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with the carriage of a stereotyptrimming machine, ofthe presser, the rod E, and bracket E, said rod being adjustable in thebracket, substantially as specified.

EDWIN E. PRATT. o. s. BARTRIDGE.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY,. EDMUND ADOOOK.

